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Just imagine: a golden brown caramelized top, and an interior full of creamy goodness. Sugar cream pie is close to a custard pie... but not quite. There's something more there. Something a little bit different.
The ingredients of this pie are rich in every sense of the word. Cream is the star. The heavy cream gives the pie its deeply satisfying texture and flavor. Then you add a dash of warm spices on top: cinnamon, nutmeg, maybe even a little clove. Whatever says "holiday" to you. The result is pure magic.
The best part is, this gluten free pie mixes up like a dream. You just need one bowl for the filling, and the crust requires no pre-baking. Just pour the filling into the crust, and pop it in the oven. Once baked, the pie keeps beautifully in the fridge, meaning that you can prepare it a few days in advance. Sugar cream pie will only be the better for the wait. So if you find yourself in need of a second pie for Thanksgiving or Christmas, look no further than Hoosier pie!
Be warned: this recipe makes a generous amount of filling, suitable for a deep dish pie or two regular depth pies. If you don't need that much, simply halve the recipe. For the crust, I recommend using my gluten free pie crust recipe, which makes ample dough to contain the creamy filling.
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(1) Preheat the oven to 350°F.
(2) Make your gluten free pie crust. If using my recipe, add 1-2 tablespoons of raw sugar to give it a little sweetness.
(3) Roll out the crust, and place it in a 9" deep dish pie plate. Crimp or decorate the edges as desired.
(4) In a medium sized bowl, mix together your dry ingredients: sugar, brown rice flour, and salt.
(5) Gradually pour in the heavy cream, whisking just until smooth. Whisk gently to avoid incorporating excess air.
(6) Add the eggs, milk, and vanilla extract, mixing until fully combined but not frothy. Do not over-mix, you want a nice smooth pie, not whipped cream!
(7) Pour the cream mixture into your prepared pie crust. Dot with butter.
(8) Sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg over the top of the pie. This will give the pie extra flavor, and a beautiful caramel colored finish.
(9) Bake for about 60 minutes, until the filling is bubbling gently across the surface and the center appears set. The pie should maintain steady bubbling at least ten minutes before removing it from the oven.
(10) Allow the pie to cool at room temperature for 1–2 hours, then refrigerate until fully chilled. Serve cold for the best texture and flavor.
This is the time to splurge on high quality heavy cream. Know that there is a difference between pure cream and the big brand whipping cream or heavy whipping cream you find in grocery stores. Just check the ingredient labels. Whipping cream often includes emulsifiers and thickeners, like mono and diglycerides, gums, and carrageenan. Why do they add these? Well, under normal circumstances, the milkfat would separate from the milk, and float to the top of the bottle. Many brands of milk and cream battle this separation with a process called homogenization. The combination of homogenization plus emulsifiers and thickeners keep the texture of the cream reliable and consistent, even as it ages.
But good reasons aside, I grew up thinking that the only ingredient in milk is milk, and in cream its cream. Its not.
Not to suggest that the presence of emulsifiers and thickeners is an industry standard under the name "heavy whipping cream" versus just cream. Officially, the difference between creams is in milkfat - it is usually somewhere between 30-40% milkfat.
If you live in the Midwest, there are likely dairies somewhere in your area that sell to local grocery stores. In east-central Illinois, we have Kilgus Farms. They offer pure non-homogenized milk and cream, and it tastes oh so good. If you haven't experienced local milk, go find your local source. There is a huge difference in taste and satisfaction between that and the ultra-pasteurized homogenized bottles that have become standard in grocery stores.
Please note, I am not affiliated with Kilgus Farms. I just like their product.
Yes! Store bought gluten free crusts can be pretty good, and you can definitely use one with this recipe.
Sugar cream pie is the unofficial pie of the state of Indiana. I say "unofficial" because the attempt to make it the official state pie of Indiana fizzled in 2009, though visitindiana.com does list it as the official unofficial state pie. I'm not sure what was controversial about the pie that they did not officially crown it. Or was it that they simply thought there were more important things to codify than pie? I was unable to find out why it remains unofficial, just that the bill failed to make it to the desk of the Governor of Indiana.[source]
Sugar cream pie dates back to sometime in the 1800's. It is usually credited to the Shaker or Amish communities, and the oldest known recipe purports to be from 1816.[source] The pie is made with ingredients that people in the 19th century were likely to have in their pantries: milk or cream, sugar, and maybe eggs (the eggs are controversial). Because it only requires basic ingredients - no fresh fruit, or anything expensive - it is classified as a "desperation pie." Its the pie you can make all year long, even if times are tough.
See those little bubbles? This is what your pie should look like when its done.
That said, in the modern day, I'm not sure that butter and cream are so much cheaper than fruit, so your mileage may vary on the "desperation" angle. And it should also go without saying that nobody was making this pie gluten free "back in the day." But no one should have to go without trying a slice of this creamy goodness.
And certainly, you are not going to feel deprived while eating this rich and delicious pie!
This recipe is not very fussy. Mix the custard ingredients together, pour them into the crust, and put in the oven to bake. The pie will gradually start bubbling at the edges, and then the bubbles will move towards the middle until the whole top is bubbling. You need to be patient and wait for the whole pie to bubble, all the way across the top. This takes at least an hour. Impatience leads to a soupy pie.
While you can enjoy the pie straight out of the oven, it is best enjoyed after being chilled in the refrigerator for a few hours. This will help it firm up some more.
You did not make this when you were home. U OWE ME GIRL!
Do you see how much cream is in this thing? Need to make it in the summer and then eat nothing but salads for a few days afterwards. 😛